See how President Obama's home gets gussied up for the holidays

Dreaming of a White (House) Christmas

Dreaming of a White (House) Christmas

No, that’s not the White House. But it is the White House Gingerbread House—which lives inside the White House. And when WomansDay.com was invited to take a tour of the presidential home for the holidays, we couldn’t refuse!

Pastry chefs and even electricians work tirelessly on this mini house in the days leading up to the holiday season each year. The 2012 version incorporates more than 175 pounds of gingerbread and modified gingerbread and more than 50 pounds of chocolate. And thanks to a mix of wheat, rye and white-flour gingerbread (and the White House pastry chef comparing pieces of bread to an unpainted part of the White House), the creation’s color matches the original sandstone of the residence before it was painted white in 1798. For even more accuracy, there’s a gum paste and marzipan version of the First Lady's garden and a Bo figure, to represent the Obama’s beloved dog, made out of chocolate. Click through to see the other awe-inspiring Christmas decorations inside the White House.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Before we got a break from the chilly Washington, DC, weather, we marveled at the Christmas scene outside the entrance to the East Wing. Besides a decked-out bush and a requisite Christmas tree (one of many, many more), there were these impressive snowflakes, which took 100 hours for 25 volunteers to create!